Mounting device having an additional stopp

ABSTRACT

Tip-off mounting device, wherein a base body has at least one recoil stud on its underside, which can engage in one of the slots of a Picatinny rail and is applied at the front in the firing direction and wherein the base body has at least one additional stop on its underside, which can engage in one of the slots of the Picatinny rail and is applied at the rear opposite to the firing direction.

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 of German Utility Model Application 20 2011 102 875.9, filed Jul. 5, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mounting device which comprises an additional stop.

2. Discussion of Background Information

During the assembly of aiming devices on firearms, various scope mounts are used. Known mounts include pivot mounts, claw mounts, fixed mounts and tip-off mounts. The latter are a type of scope mount that is particularly common in the military sector. Particularly common are so-called Picatinny mounts, which are implemented in accordance with MIL-STD-1913. Picatinny rails have become established in the military tactical field as a standardized interface for attaching accessories such as scopes, red dot sights and lights on firearms. But such rails are also used for the attachment of accessories to helmets, belts, etc. Picatinny rails are also fitted in the field of hunting rifles. Each weapon is fitted with a Picatinny rail having cross slots to accommodate a recoil stud. For manufacturing technical reasons, these cross slots have relatively large tolerances in their width of (5.23 mm+0.23 mm). During the mass production of mounts, it is therefore not possible to produce the recoil studs accurately matched to the cross slots. If the clamping force of the mounting device on the Picatinny rail is not adequate, a relative motion between the mounting device and the Picatinny rail occurs as a result of the constantly changing forces when firing automatic weapons, resulting in a loss of precision.

In the prior art for one-piece mounting devices with one or more recoil studs there are no known ways to compensate for this play.

Two-piece mounting devices consisting of a front and a rear member, each of which is provided with a recoil stud, provide the ability during mounting to introduce the recoil studs into their respective slots suitably in opposite directions, i.e. forwards and backwards. The play can thus largely, but not completely, be ruled out. The placement of the mounting device on the Picatinny rail is thus made more difficult. Moreover, in the event of changing the mounting device to another Picatinny rail, the installation of the recoil studs forwards and backwards no longer occurs owing to the tolerances of the slot widths.

It is therefore desirable to provide a possibility to compensate for the play caused by tolerances in the firing direction between the recoil studs of a mounting device and the corresponding slot in the Picatinny rail. When placing the mounting device on other rails this freedom from play must remain ensured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a tip-off mounting device, wherein a base body has at least one recoil stud on its underside, which can engage in one of the slots of a Picatinny rail and is applied at the front in the firing direction, and wherein the base body has at least one additional stop on its underside, which can engage in one of the slots of the Picatinny rail and is applied at the rear opposite to the firing direction.

The present invention further provides a mounting device, wherein the base body has at least one recoil stud on its underside, which can engage in one of the slots in the Picatinny rail that is applied at the rear opposite to the firing direction and wherein the base body has at least one additional stop on its underside which can engage in one of the slots of the Picatinny rail and is applied at the front in the firing direction.

The tip-off mounting device according to the invention advantageously absorbs forces with its additional stop that occur when firing automatic weapons and that act in the opposite direction to the recoil. When fitting a tip-off mounting device onto the Picatinny rail of a firearm, it is thrust forwards in the firing direction by means of at least one recoil stud. In addition, an additional stop is applied towards the rear opposite to the firing direction. In this way the tip-off mounting device is fixed in the firing direction without play in an advantageous manner. The continuously directionally changing forces occurring with automatic firearms through the recoil and the subsequent acceleration of the breech are thus safely absorbed and forward and rearward movement of the mounting device including optics are substantially eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. They show:

FIG. 1 a scope 9, mounted by means of a tip-off mounting device 14 on a Picatinny rail 10 in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 2 a sectional illustration of the scope 9, mounted by means of the tip-off mounting device 14 on the Picatinny rail 10 in a view from the front,

FIG. 3 a sectional illustration of a base body 1 of the tip-off mounting device 14, mounted on the Picatinny rail 10,

FIG. 4 a magnified sectional illustration of a region of a recoil stud 3 and an additional stop 4,

FIG. 5 the base body 1 in an oblique view from below in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 6 the base body 1 in an oblique view from below without the additional stop 4 and without an adjustment element 5 in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 7 a two-part tip-off mounting device in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 8 the two-part tip-off mounting device with an additional base body 22 in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 9 the one-part tip-off mounting device 14 with the additional base body 22 in a perspective illustration,

FIG. 10 a sectional illustration of an embodiment 54 of the base body 1 of the tip-off mounting device 14, mounted on the Picatinny rail 10,

FIG. 11 a highly magnified sectional illustration of a bolt 52 engaged in a slot 7 of the Picatinny rail 10,

FIG. 12 a highly magnified sectional illustration of the bolt 52 engaged in the groove 7 with the smallest tolerance of the slot width,

FIG. 13 a highly magnified sectional illustration of the bolt 52 engaged in the groove 7 with the largest tolerance of the slot width,

FIG. 14 the bolt 52 in a spatial illustration and

FIG. 15 the base body 1 with the bolt 52 and a set screw 58 for limiting the displacement in a sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the Picatinny rail 10 comprises a rail 2, which is mounted on the firearm in the firing direction and is provided on its top with a prism 6 oriented in the firing direction, which acts as an interface for receiving sighting or auxiliary devices. Slots 7 are provided in this prism 6 transverse to the firing direction, which are arranged according to MIL-STD-1913 at regular distances of 10 mm. The tip-off mounting device 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of the base body 1 with the receiving elements 8, which are used to attach the scope 9. The receiving elements 8 can also be mounted on the base body 1.

With another possible embodiment of the invention, the base body 1 is implemented in two parts. The base body 1 of the tip-off mounting device 14 has a fixed projection 11 on its side facing the Picatinny rail 10, which engages one side of the prism 6 of the Picatinny rail 10 in a shape-locking manner and thus orients the base body 1 in the firing direction. In addition, the base body 1 comprises at least one movable locking element 12, which is pressed against the prism 6 by at least one locking lever 13. The pressing action can also take place through nuts or bolts, wing nuts or wing bolts.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the recoil stud(s) (3) is/are attached to the underside of the base body 1, in order to fix the base body 1 in the firing direction. The recoil stud(s) 3 engage(s) in one of the slots 7 and is/are applied at the front in the firing direction before closing the locking lever 13.

In order to compensate for the play occurring between the slot 7 and recoil studs 3 as a result of the large manufacturing tolerances, the additional stop 4 is applied in one of the slots 7 opposite to the firing direction by means of the adjustment element 5 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

The base body 1 has a prismatic aperture 15 in its side facing the Picatinny rail 10, in which the additional stop 4 is movably guided (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The alignment of the prismatic aperture 15 is at an angle β greater than 0° and less than 90° to the firing direction and the plane of displacement of the additional stop 4 lies parallel to the underside of the base body 1.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the adjustment element 5 is formed as a screw, whose head 18 is provided with knurling for hand operation. Its shank 16 extends through the wall 21 of the base body 1 and is secured against displacement along the prismatic aperture 15 by at least one securing element 17, preferably a circlip.

With a further embodiment of the invention, the movable locking element 12 is used as an adjustment element, whose movement when closing the locking lever 13 can be used for displacing the additional stop 4. The additional stop 4 is provided with a stop element 19.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, this stop element 19 is implemented as a clamping sleeve. The base body 1 comprises an aperture 20, in which the stop element 19 engages.

Both end positions of the additional stop 4 along its displacement path are thus determined and must fulfil both of the following conditions.

-   -   If the additional stop 4 is applied by the adjustment element 5         in one of the slots 7 opposite to the firing direction, its end         position cannot yet be reached in this direction.     -   If the additional stop 4 is released by the adjustment element         5, its end position in this direction must be reached prior to         contact in the firing direction. The tip-off mounting device can         thus be removed without hindrance on reaching the end position.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention with a two-part base body 1 by way of example. With this, only one of the two parts on its side facing the Picatinny rail 10 has a prismatic aperture 15, in which the additional stop 4 is movably guided.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the invention with a two-part base body 1. In this case, an additional base body 22 has a prismatic aperture 15 on its side facing the Picatinny rail 10, in which the additional stop 4 is movably guided. The additional base body 22 can, but does not have to, be mechanically joined to the base body 1. The additional base body 22 is pressed against the base body 1 by the application of the additional stop 4.

FIG. 9 shows by way of example an embodiment of the invention with a one-part base body 1 and also an additional base body 22, whose implementation corresponds to that in FIG. 8.

In another embodiment of the invention, a spring-loaded bolt 52 acts as an additional stop 4, which presses at an angle between 0° and 90° against the wall 50 of the slot 7 of the Picatinny rail 10 and thus cancels out the play between the recoil stud 3 and the slot 7.

The design of another embodiment 51 of the invention corresponds essentially to the tip-off mounting device 14. An essentially cylindrical bolt 52 acts as an additional stop 4 here, which presses against the wall 50 of one of the slots 7 via the coil spring 53 when mounting it on the Picatinny rail 10 and thus brings the recoil stud(s) 3 to bear forwards in the firing direction (see FIG. 10).

In another embodiment of the invention, the bolt 52 can have an optional different shape, e.g. an essentially rectangular shape. Several coil springs can also be used. A flat spring can also be used instead of the coil spring.

With this the displacement path of the bolt 52 extends at an angle μ greater than 0° and less than 90°, preferably at an angle of 15°. The contact area 55 of the bolt 52 compensates for this angle. Therefore the contact area 55 lies in planar contact with the wall 50. In order to protect the edges of the slot 7 the movable bolt 52 is provided with a radius 56 in a special embodiment 54 of the base body 1 (see FIG. 11).

In another embodiment the contact area 55 is at an angle α to the wall 50. Therefore the bolt 52 contacts the wall 50 with its radius 56.

If the displacement path of the bolt 52 extends vertically and has an inclined surface similar to the contact surface 55 for application, then contact only occurs as a line on the edge of the slot 7. This would inevitably lead to buckling and thus to damage to the rail 2.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show the application of the contact surface 55 to the wall 50 of the bolt 52 for the smallest and largest tolerance of the width of the slot 7. The displacement of the bolt 52 is limited in both directions, so that the bolt 52 still has play relative to the base of the borehole 57 when the contact surface 55 makes contact with the wall 50 for the smallest tolerance of the slot 7 (see FIG. 12). For the largest tolerance of the slot 7, the bolt 52 has not yet reached its end position when the contact surface 55 makes contact with the wall 50 (see FIG. 13).

The restriction of the displacement of the bolt 52 in the direction of action of a coil spring 53 is achieved with a set screw 58, which engages in the oblong hole 59 in the bolt 52 (see FIGS. 14 and 15). The set screw 58 can also be implemented as a clamping sleeve, a cylindrical pin or any other suitable component.

In a further embodiment of the invention an eccentric shaft acts as an additional stop 4, which is guided in the base body 1 of the tip-off mounting device 14, is operated by a lever element or by a tool and is brought into engagement vertically or horizontally in one of the slots 7 of the Picatinny rail 10. By turning the eccentric shaft, it presses on one of the walls of the Picatinny rail 10 and the recoil stud(s) 3 is/are thus brought to bear.

It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   -   1. base body     -   2. rail     -   3. recoil stud     -   4. additional stop     -   5. adjustment element     -   6. prism     -   7. cross slot     -   8. receiving member     -   9. scope     -   10. Picatinny rail     -   11. fixed clamping jaw     -   12. movable clamping jaw     -   13. locking lever     -   14. mounting device     -   15. dovetail recess     -   16. shank     -   17. locking element     -   18. head     -   19. stop element     -   20. aperture     -   21. wall     -   22. additional base body     -   50. wall of the cross slot 7     -   51. embodiment of the mounting device 14     -   52. bolt     -   53. coil spring     -   54. embodiment of the base body 1     -   55. contact area     -   56. radius     -   57. borehole     -   58. set screw     -   59. oblong hole 

1.-22. (canceled)
 23. A tip-off mounting device, wherein a first body of the device has at least one recoil lug and at least one additional stopp on its underside, which recoil lug and at least one additional stopp both can engage in cross slots of a Picatinny rail, and wherein (a) when the recoil lug is applied to a front in firing direction the at least one additional stopp is applied to a rear opposite to the firing direction; and (b) when the recoil lug is applied to the rear opposite to the firing direction the at least one additional stopp is applied to the front in firing direction.
 24. The device of claim 23, wherein the first body has a dovetailed recess on its side facing the Picatinny rail and the at least one additional stopp is movably guided in the dovetailed recess.
 25. The device of claim 23, wherein the first body is of two parts and only one of the two parts has a dovetailed recess on its side facing the Picatinny rail, in which recess the at least one additional stopp is movably guided.
 26. The device of claim 23, wherein a second body which is mechanically joined to the first body has a dovetailed recess on its side facing the Picatinny rail and the at least one additional stop is movably guided in the dovetailed recess.
 27. The device of claim 23, wherein a second body which is not mechanically joined to the first body and can be pressed against the first body by the at least one additional stop when operating an adjustment element has a dovetailed recess on its side facing the Picatinny rail, and the at least one additional stop is movably guided in the dovetailed recess.
 28. The device of claim 23, wherein a function of the at least one additional stopp is adapted to an essentially prismatic rail element, which rail element has on its top at least one aperture for receiving the recoil lug and the at least one additional stop.
 29. The device of claim 23, wherein a dovetailed recess is aligned at an angle β greater than 0° and less than 90° to the firing direction and a plane of displacement of the at least one additional stopp is parallel to the underside of the first body.
 30. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one additional stopp can be displaced along a dovetailed recess by an adjustment element.
 31. The device of claim 30, wherein the adjustment element comprises a screw.
 32. The device of claim 30, wherein the adjustment element is a clamping jaw that can be operated by a locking lever.
 33. The device of claim 30, wherein the adjustment element passes through a wall of the first body or a second body and is secured by at least one locking element against displacement along a dovetailed recess.
 34. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one additional stopp is fitted with a stopping element that can engage in a recess in the first body or in a second body.
 35. The device of claim 23, wherein the first body or a second body is fitted with a stopping element which can engage in a recess in the at least one additional stopp.
 36. The device of claim 23, wherein two end positions of the at least one additional stopp along its displacement path are determined by a recess and a stopping element.
 37. The device of claim 23, wherein a bolt can be pressed against a wall of one of the cross slots by a pressure spring or a flat spring when mounting on the Picatinny rail.
 38. The device of claim 37, wherein the first body is implemented in two parts.
 39. The device of claim 37, wherein the bolt is essentially cylindrical or essentially rectangular.
 40. The device of claim 37, wherein a plurality of pressure springs are used instead of one pressure spring.
 41. The device of claim 37, wherein a displacement path of the bolt extends at an angle μ greater than 0° and less than 90°.
 42. The device of claim 37, wherein a displacement path of the bolt is limited in both directions in such a way that the bolt still has play to the bottom of a borehole when applied to the wall for a smallest tolerance of the cross slot and the bolt has not yet reached its end position when applied to the wall for a largest tolerance of the cross slot.
 43. The device of claim 23, wherein an eccentric shaft can be pressed onto one of the walls of the cross slot of the Picatinny rail. 